Wichita eagle., 1887-11-05
THE PAN HANDLE BOOM.
CANADIAN CITY. Tex, Nov. /.

To the Editor of tie Eagle
Arriving here from klOwa. kdnS.. at
midnight, the writer saw very little of
this town that is talked of in Kansas SO
much until this morning, when we were
awakened very early by the noise Of the
saw and hammer. Before breakfast we
walked out to see what was to be seen OF
the town.
The town is located on hill sloping
gently down to the railroad track. Con
siderinG that this town is not yet ninety
days old, it is wonderful the way 1t has
grown. The track-layers Of the South
ern Kansas arrived here with the track
about the first Of September, then there
was delay OF two weeks before those
who wished to build could secure lumber.
But now they have some fifty store
houses completed and occupied and are
building more is as fast a5 the carpenters
finish those they are az work on.
Mr. Switzerland. Of Big Springs. Tex,
has Just finished fine hotel, which with
out furniture will cost him the round
sum Of $4,000.
There are two newspapers, the Free
Press and the Crescent; four general
stores, three clothing stores. two hard
ware stores, one lumber yard. y fine
opening presents itself here for another
lumber yard. The one that Is here
charges S35 per N for lumber that a
gentleman told the writer be could
lay down for ST. per II.
The kiowa botGIiDg works have moved
to this town and are doing large busl-
ness.
This is and will be for some time a
.,
from New Mexico down the Canadian
river, and from as far south as the Texas
Pacific railroad. One shipper told the
writer that this was the best shipping
point ne had ever been to, and he had
shipped cattle for years.
i bank has just started with paid up
capital of $4,000 Hon. L. E. Finch. Of
Burlingame. is president A Mr.. Moody,
Of Olathe, and large cattle owner IN
this country are stock owners,
as is Henry Hamburg, of Mobeetie, and
Judge Willis, of this district.
This town is q distributing point for a
very large country. The mails and
freight for Mobeetie and Fl. Elliott are
shipped by wagon from this place. The
settlers for seventy and eighty miles in
every direction come to this town to lay
in their supplies. The merchants ali
seem to be doing large business. This
is the county seat of Hemphill county
and everything seems to show that it
viii be the end OF division of the rail
road.
Most people think that this country is
fit for nothing but to Craze cattle on.
but my views have changed since have
talked with few of the farmers of this
section. One man showed me some cot
ton he said ne raised from the sod with
out any cultivation. It was as fine as |
ever saw. Another showed me some
corn; the stalks were eight feet high.
He grew forty bushels to the acre.
The country in the immediate vicinity
Of this town is better adapted to small
stock growing. The farmer can pro-
duce his own supplies and take
care of his own cattle during the
winter. But ten or twelve miles south
of this is the Washita river. on which it
is said some OF the finest lands of the
country is located.
| met one gentleman who said he was
cattle man from Montana. He said he
had never seen such fat cattle as We're
being shipped from this country to mar
kct. Without a doubt where such grass
grows that viii place cattle in that con-
dition, something else will grow. Set
tiers are coming in from lower Texas and
Kansas Without doubt this country
will have grand boom in the spring.
In the morning leave for Carson Co.,
by Miami, on the end of the Southern
Kansas R. r. track, Mobeetie. and Fl Ell
lott. VIII write you a letter from there.
w. S, D,